Karl Rove expects Gov. Rick Perry to join 2012 GOP presidential race

Former George W. Bush political aide Karl Rove said Wednesday that he believes Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry will run for president, The Hill reported.

"I think you're right that he's going to run," Rove said on the Fox Business Network.

"This is a big state with nearly 24 million people," he added. "And if you're the governor of the state you have the capacity to go out and raise a lot of money from people."

A spokesman for Perry told The Hill that the governor would announce whether or not he plans to run for president in the next several weeks.

Meanwhile, a former top campaign aide for Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich has joined up with the California-based group Americans for Rick Perry. Craig Schoenfeld will serve as executive director of the group's Iowa organization, according to a press release.

Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore